By Joshua Zeitz

Lincoln’s Boys: John Hay, John Nicolay, and the War for Lincoln’s Image

A lively look at two young aides who parlayed early White House jobs into careers.

Thom Hatch

Glorious War: The Civil War Adventures of George Armstrong Custer

Seemingly unfairly judged for the way he died, this biography of George Armstrong Custer argues he was a legend with a long and valiant military career.

By Doug Most

The Race Underground: Boston, New York, and the Incredible Rivalry that Built America’s First Subway

The two cities are once again pitted against each other, but the result is less blood match than choreographed ballet.

Wil S. Hylton

Vanished: The Sixty-Year Search for the Missing Men of World War II

An absorbing forensic narrative that combines historical detective work with a long-forgotten tale of WWII aviation.

By Hugh Wilford

America’s Great Game: The CIA’s Secret Arabists and the Shaping of the Modern Middle East

How U.S. intelligence set sail into the Middle East and ran aground on its own failings.

Arik: The Life of Ariel Sharon

Following his death on January 11, Israel's controversial prime minister is assessed in this important and engaging biography.

The Baby Boom: How It Got That Way (And It Wasn’t My Fault) (And I’ll Never Do It Again)

Who among us hasn’t said or written something dumb about aging and lived to regret it?

Edward P. Kohn

Heir to the Empire City: New York and the Making of Theodore Roosevelt

This account synthesizes the 26th president's career as an elected and appointed official in New York.